SCHOLASTIC SPORTS

Personnel change propels Mustangs

September 11, 2013

MILTON - After going 0-3 to start the season, the Midd-West field hockey team was busy searching for a winning combination.

Tuesday, the Mustangs found it in the form of Abby Miller.

Playing her first game at forward after coach Mandi Romig moved her up from the midfield, Miller caged three goals in just under 10 minutes in the second half to give the Mustangs a 3-0 lead against Heartland Conference opponent Milton. Miller then tacked on another goal after teammate Adrienne Gesselman scored one of her own for the 5-0 rout.

"We thought she could give us a little more speed and offensive pressure, and she came through," Romig said of Miller.

Tricia Martin and Miller were a tough team to beat, as Martin picked up assists for two of Miller's goals. Jess Whitesel, McKenna Beck and Shelby Shrawder also recorded assists for the Mustangs.

"We needed this one. The first half we had lots of opportunities but we just couldn't connect," Romig said. But after the half, she said, the team rallied to pull out the win.

Midd-West (1-3, 1-1) hosts Danville Thursday.

Field hockey

Huntingdon 2,

Belleville Mennonite 0

BELLEVILLE - Small numbers on a hot day and an inability to bury the ball kept Belleville Mennonite off the scoreboard in its field hockey game against Huntingdon Tuesday.

The Bearcats got the best of Belleville Mennonite in a 2-0 game, with both goals coming in the first half.

The Thunder weren't without chances, they just weren't finishing them - Belleville Mennonite had similar totals of shots and corners.

"We got down there into the circle, we just couldn't finish our shots," Thunder coach Morgan Foote said. In the second, she said, "They really picked it up. It was really our better part of the game."

Belleville Mennonite (1-2) hosts Forbes Road Thursday.

Cross country

Girls: Mifflin County 20, State College 37; Boys: State 26, Mifflin County 30

REEDSVILLE - Amanda Hassinger and Darien Knudsen each won their respective races, but it was the Mifflin County girls who had the bigger day Tuesday, running past State College 20-37 in a Commonwealth Division cross country meet.

The boys struggled against the Little Lions, who won 26-30.

Hassinger set the pace for a squad that put four of the first five runners across the line, giving only the third spot to State College.

"Amanda was patient and ran her down," Huskies coach Greg Loht said. "Darien has been running well. It was nice for him to pick up a win tonight."

In this case, his second in a row.

It was a tough day to run, Loht said.

"The kids are out in the sun for three miles. It was like a convection oven," he said. "The kids ran gutsy - they went after State College."

EVERETT - The Mount Union golf team proved once again why it's the team to beat in the Inter-County Conference when a first-place finish (343) against Everett (371) and Northern Bedford (408) Tuesday clinched the Trojans' fifth conference title in six years.

"I'm real proud of the guys. They came to play against two conference opponents in the heat, but they came focused and I'm proud of the scores they got," Mount Union coach Matt Fiscus.

The most notable score for Mount Union was Brady Goodling's 80 to medal, but Hunter and Andrew Atherton also landed in the 80s and Zac Knable followed close behind with a 92.

"I was real proud that the two Athertons really came through for us today. I could see it coming. They've been playing real well in practice," Fiscus said, further explaining that it was great to see Goodling get back on track with his low score and he was proud of the way Knable helped the team reach the win.

Mount Union (6-1, 5-0) will compete in the ICC tournament Monday at Down River Golf Course.

DILLSBURG - J.D. Hughes of Carlisle shot a 66 to medal, Cumberland Valley remained unbeaten and Mifflin County's Marc Auker led the Huskies, who were fifth out of seven as the Commonwealth Division hit the links at Range End Golf Club in a Mid-Penn Match hosted by Northern York.

The host Polar Bears ended a spot behind the Huskies, who shot a combined 433. Four of the five scorers from Mifflin County were under 90; Auker carded 81 to lead the pack.

Mifflin County is 11-25 overall in the conference after going 2-4 Tuesday. The Huskies travel to Mechanicsburg Monday.

MIDDLEBURG - Midd-West had its chances in boys soccer action Tuesday, but Heartland Conference opponent Danville was too much as the Ironmen shut out the Mustangs, 2-0.

Midd-West had eight shots to Milton's nine and edged the Ironmen 8-7 in corner kicks, but some easy give ups on the defense and trouble with accurate shooting on the offense gave Milton the edge.

"Tonight we just couldn't hit water if we were on a boat," Midd-West coach Chris Sauer said.

The Mustangs (3-2, 1-1) travel to Williamsport Thursday.

Mifflin County Christian 10, Calvary of Huntingdon 0

HUNTINGDON - Jon God's hat trick set the tone for Mifflin County Christian in a 10-0 shutout of Huntingdon Calvary in boys soccer Tuesday.

Kyle Ort had the first goal for the Eagles, just eight minutes into the game. Along with God, the locals got a two-goal night from Luke Todd; Jathan Gutshall, Justin Groff, Kyle Ort and Caleb Breneman all chipped in one goal.

The Eagles dominated with 39 shots on goal; Brad Smith stopped all four of the Conquerors' efforts.

Mifflin County Christian travels to Blair County Christian Thursday.

Girls soccer

Calvary of Huntingdon 3, Mifflin County Christian 0

HUNTINGDON - Huntingdon Calvary had a slim lead at the break, but two more goals in the second half produced a 3-0 win for the Conquerors over Mifflin County Christian Tuesday.

The Eagles' Johanna Hoffman stopped 21 shots. The game went by without a single corner kick.

Mifflin County Christian travels to Blair County Christian Thursday.

Juniata 5, Line Mountain 2

HERNDON - Janelle Swartz put two past the keeper and assisted Micheh Horning on another goal as she and the Indians topped Tri-Valley League opponent Line Mountain 5-2 Tuesday.

"It just seems like every time we had a threat, she was involved in it," Juniata coach Brian Strawser said.

Juniata outshot the Eagles 33-12, and Swartz wasn't the only threat on the field, as a goal and assist apiece from both Horning and Carly Burns, plus a shot from Riley Duck off an Elizabeth Ritzman assist rounded out the Indians' offense.

Four of Juniata's five goals and both of Line Mountain's were scored in the first half, and Strawser explained that with the large lead and the hot weather, it was a good opportunity to get some girls off the bench and to try some different combinations on the field.

Juniata (3-0, 3-0) has a 4 p.m. home match against Halifax Thursday.

Cedar Cliff 7, Mifflin County 0

CAMP HILL - Seven different Colts scored - one had a goal and an assist - as Cedar Cliff shut out Mifflin County, 7-0, in a Commonwealth Division girls soccer game Tuesday.

It wasn't so much the fact that the Huskies lost the game, as that they lost another player for an extended time with an injury - the third such occurrence for the team in the young season. Mifflin County coach Trevor Eckley said he still believes his team could be doing more.

"I don't want to keep making excuses," he said. "We are playing short, but I need girls to step up, be aggressive and show some heart."

Cedar Cliff also won the JV game, 3-0.

Mifflin County (0-4, 0-4) hosts Chambersburg Thursday.

East Juniata 4, Lancaster Country Day 4

COCOLAMUS - East Juniata came very close to a win for the girls soccer team Tuesday, but a 4-4 tie at the end of regulation with Tri-Valley League opponent Lancaster Country Day prevented the Tigers from notching the victory.

McKayla Goodling led the way on the offense for the Tigers, as two goals and an assist to Amber Knouse made her part of nearly every goal East Juniata scored. Knouse was also responsible for the first assist to Goodling, while Calli Shambaugh netted the Tigers' other goal.

East Juniata keeper Lydia Hunter came up with four saves. East Juniata and Lancaster Country Day each scored two goals per half.

The Tigers will host Line Mountain Thursday.

Juniata Mennonite 6, New Covenant 0

McALISTERVILLE - After a few too many shots that were not where the Lions needed them to be, Lauren Breon and Alexis Hahn-Kline combined for five goals in a 6-0 win for Juniata Mennonite over New Covenant (Mansfield) in an Allegheny Christian Athletic Association girls soccer game Tuesday.

"The ball had a magnet to the goalie today. We started out slow," Lions coach Trish Hoffman said.

Her team only scored once before the half; in the second, five balls went in the net with Breon completing the hat trick.

Juniata Mennonite (1-3-1, 1-3) hosts Bloomsburg Christian Friday.

Volleyball

Millersburg 3, Mifflin County 0

MILLERSBURG - Mifflin County's volleyball team was in all three games against Millersburg, but the Tri-Valley League match went to the homestanding Indians, who won all three - two of them by the minimum two points.

After falling 25-23 and 28-26 in an extended set, the Huskies dropped the third one 25-21. Like Monday's match against another TVL team, this was a hard one for Mifflin County coach Jill Zeger to swallow.

"Halifax and Millersburg my girls could have won," she said. "I think they're competitive with them."

Against Millersburg, Haley Hower had nine service points; she and Bryn Ferguson each had four kills. Anna Aurand had six kills and three aces; Kaitlyn Dreese matched the latter stat. Chloe Benner and Shania Teenie each had five digs. The numbers uphold Zeger's belief that her team is doing things well.

"It's not one particular thing," she said. "They have not been able to finish it."

Millersburg also won the JV match, 2-0 (25-8, 25-18).

Mifflin County (0-5, 0-3) travels to State College Thursday.

Hollidaysburg 3, Mount Union 2

HOLLIDAYSBURG - Mount Union had three solid sets against non-league opponent Hollidaysburg Tuesday, but the 10 points total the Trojans were able to score in the third and fifth sets gave Hollidaysburg the advantage, 3-2.

Mount Union won the first set, 25-22, and hung close to lose 26-24 in the second and fourth sets, but was not able to pull out the win.

"It was basically passing. We're really struggling with passing this year," Trojans coach Tessa McCormick said, explaining that her team's lack of experience and depth has really played into its struggles with passing.

Kristin Miles had 20 kills and Abby Grove had six. Teammate Ashley Foor racked up 12 service points, while Grove collected 10.

Mount Union (2-2, 2-0) hosts Williamsburg Thursday.

Junior high

Girls soccer

* Mifflin County 1, Hollidaysburg 1: Goal by Abby Yearick. This game was played Monday.